This invention relates to novel wound dressings and, more particularly, to wound dressings such as those applied after surgery for the wicking and reservoir or retention of wound fluid.
The prior art is of course replete with references to various types of wound dressings from the simplest of absorbent pads to the more sophisticated designs additionally providing a barrier to external contaminants. As an illustration of the latter, mention may be made of those described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,499,896 which may additionally include an absorbent pad.
The task of the present invention, simply stated, is to provide a new and improved absorbent fabric structure for wound treatment which not only provides a complete barrier to bacteria and other external contaminants but also optimizes the wicking and amount of wound fluid which can be retained in the volume provided by the absorbent fabric, thereby minimizing the frequency of dressing changes required in the wound treatment procedure.